John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 509: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs teachers in County Mayo who will lose their jobs as result of his announcement in February 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6035/09]

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in County Mayo that will be affected by his announcement of the withdrawal of special needs teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6036/09]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 511: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will withdraw the cuts for children with special needs; and the amount of money being saved by these cuts. [6065/09]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 520: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in Dublin 8 which will be affected by the newly announced cuts to special needs classes; the cuts that will be imposed on each of these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6129/09]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 521: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in Dublin 10 which will be affected by the newly announced cuts to special needs classes; the cuts that will be imposed on each of these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6130/09]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 522: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in Dublin 12 which will be affected by the newly announced cuts to special needs classes; the cuts that will be imposed on each of these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6131/09]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 523: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in Dublin 20 which will be affected by the newly announced cuts to special needs classes; the cuts that will be imposed on each of these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6132/09]

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in Dublin 6W which will be affected by the newly announced cuts to special needs classes; the cuts that will be imposed on each of these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6133/09]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 531: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the south Tipperary schools that will be impacted by the decision to cut special teacher support for children with mild general learning disabilities; the number of staff across south Tipperary which will be lost as a result of this decision; and the number of children this will impact on in south Tipperary. [6339/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 509 to 511, inclusive, 520 to 524, inclusive, and 531 together.

I wish to advise the deputies that all primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs including mild general learning disability (MGLD). All primary schools were given these additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model of learning support/resource teaching introduced in 2005. Schools can decide how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils. Most pupils with a MGLD are included in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities.

The Deputies will be aware that allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for MGLD the normal pupil teacher ratio that applies is 11:1. My Department however allows for a small reduction in this number and permits schools to retain a teaching post where it has a minimum of 9 pupils in the class. In the schools in question, the number of pupils dropped below this minimum. These schools therefore are no longer entitled to the teaching posts in these classes.

In 2005 when the General Allocation Model was introduced, schools with additional teachers in classes for MGLD were allowed to retain the teachers for these classes. Effectively, these schools received a double allocation. The number of these special classes has decreased over the years and schools have integrated the children into age-appropriate mainstream classes.

All of the other primary schools in the country who do not have classes for children with MGLD cater for these pupils from within the General Allocation Model.

It is not possible to give a precise cost of the posts concerned due to the varying salary costs of the teachers in question. However, it is estimated to be in the region of €6.8m.

The schools in question as requested by the Deputies are as follows:

No schools in South Tipperary, Dublin 6W and Dublin 20 are affected by my Department's notification.